Italian Sausage, Porcini Mushroom and Gorgonzola Pizza
2 hrs 45 mins total time
30 mins active time
Medium
Makes 3 pizzas
Ingredients
Measurements:
For the dough
3⅓ cups (17½ oz) bread flour
2 tsp instant dried yeast
2 tsp granulated sugar
2 tsp flaky sea salt
1 tbsp olive oil
1 cup (8 fl oz) lukewarm water
approximately
For the topping
1½ oz dried porcini mushrooms
2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
divided, plus extra to serve
2 cloves garlic
crushed
4 (12 oz) Italian sausages
1 cup (3½ oz) shredded mozzarella cheese
2½ oz gorgonzola cheese
crumbled
Flaky sea salt
to season
Freshly ground black pepper
to season
To serve
Gorgonzola cheese
crumbled
Crushed red pepper flakes
optional
Flat-leaf parsley leaves
Instructions
1To make the dough, put the flour, yeast, sugar and salt in the bowl of a stand mixer. Using the dough hook, mix to combine. Add the oil and water and mix on medium-low speed for 5 minutes until the dough is smooth and elastic. (Alternatively, combine the dry ingredients in a bowl. Add the oil and water and mix until the dough comes together, add an extra tablespoon of water if necessary. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead for 10 minutes until smooth and elastic.)
2Put the dough in a lightly oiled bowl, cover with plastic wrap and set aside in a warm place for 1 hour or until the dough doubles in size.
3Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and punch down to remove the excess air. Knead the dough into a smooth ball. Divide into three, 8 ¾ oz pieces.
4To make the topping, put the porcini mushrooms in a heatproof bowl. Cover with boiling water. Let stand for 30 minutes. Drain well. Coarsely chop.
5Combine 1 tablespoon of the oil and garlic.
6Remove the casings from the sausages. Shape teaspoons of the sausage meat into small balls, then flatten. Place on a plate, spoon over the remaining olive oil and turn to coat.
7To make the pizza, turn the ON/OFF switch to the ON position and PREHEAT the pizza oven for 15 minutes.
8Roll out each piece of pizza dough to form a 9 ½-inch round and put each on a 11 ¾-inch square piece of parchment paper.
9Prick the crusts with a fork or pizza docker.
10Spread 1 teaspoon of the garlic oil over each pizza crust. Top the crusts evenly with the mozzarella, gorgonzola, mushrooms and sausage. Season with salt and pepper.
11Select the CLASSIC crust setting.
12Transfer one of the pizzas (still on the parchment paper) onto the hot pizza stone and close the lid. Cook for 2 minutes.
13Open the lid and quickly slide the parchment paper out carefully. Close the lid and cook for a further 6-7 minutes until browned. Monitor the cooking progress through the viewing window. Topping should be cooked and golden and crust crisp and brown.
14Open the lid carefully with oven mitt and transfer the pizza to a cutting board.
15Repeat with the remaining pizzas.
16Top with gorgonzola and pepper flakes. Drizzle with extra olive oil, season with pepper and garnish with parsley leaves. Slice and serve.